Semua Bab The Mafia King’s Bride; He’s danger. She’s revenge : Bab 81 - Bab 90

Isabella’s POvI pressed my back against the door, my hand trembling as I pulled out my phone. The screen showed exactly what I'd feared.Aunt Carla.My heart pounded so hard I could hear it in my ears. I brought the phone to my face and whispered urgently."I need you to calm down.""Calm down?" Carla's voice came through sharp and angry. "You've been ghosting me for four days, Isabella. Four days without a single message, a single update. Do you have any idea how worried I've been?""I couldn't contact you. I told you I was being watched—""I don't care about your excuses. You disappeared. Completely off the grid. Where have you been?"I glanced at the door, making sure it was properly locked. Matteo was still out there; I could feel his presence even through the wood."I went to Italy." I kept my voice as low as possible. "Matteo took me to his family estate. To prove to them that I wasn't a mole."Silence on the other end. Then Carla's voice came back, colder than before."You wen

Matteo’s POVThe moment I pulled through the gates of the Marchetti estate, I knew this meeting was going to be difficult. Caroline had called three times in succession, each message more threatening than the last.*We need to talk. Now.**Don't ignore me, Matteo.**If you're not here in thirty minutes, I'm calling my father.*That last threat had forced my hand. The Marchetti family was too powerful, too connected to risk antagonizing right now. Especially with Rico and Valentina already plotting against me.A guard met me at the entrance and escorted me to Caroline's private sitting room. She was pacing when I arrived, her expression furious."Finally." She spun to face me. "Do you have any idea how many times I've tried to reach you?""I've been dealing with a family emergency—""I don't care about your family emergency." Her voice rose. "You left Italy without telling me. Without any information. Without anything I could use.""Caroline, I had to leave. My father summoned me back

Isabella's POV I couldn't stay in my room. Not whilst Matteo was out there, meeting with Caroline, doing who knows what. The worry gnawed at me, mixing with guilt and confusion until I felt like I might burst.So I paced. Down the corridor, through the sitting room, back again. Over and over, checking my phone every few minutes even though I knew he wouldn't call.The house was quiet. Most of the family had gone to bed hours ago, leaving only the night guards and the occasional staff member moving through the halls.I should go to sleep. Should stop torturing myself with questions I had no answers to.But I couldn't.Eventually, I found myself near the main entrance, still pacing. The front doors were locked, the security system armed. No one was getting in or out without alerting the guards.My legs were tired. My eyes heavy. I sat down on one of the benches near the entrance, telling myself I'd just rest for a moment. Just close my eyes for a few minutes whilst I waited.The next t

Matteo's POV Isabella's words kept replaying in my mind as I changed into dry clothes. Rico plotting behind my back gathering elder support and planning a traditional vote.It sounded too extreme and desperate.Rico was ambitious, yes. Competitive, absolutely. But bribing elders? Going behind Father's back to manipulate the succession process?That was forbidden. One of the oldest, most sacred rules of our family. You didn't bribe elders and buy votes. You earned respect through action, through proving yourself worthy.Breaking that rule would mean permanent exile. No second chances, no forgiveness. Father would disown anyone who tried it.Rico knew that. Had to know that. He wouldn't risk everything just to take a shortcut to power.Would he?I pushed the thought away. Isabella had misheard. She'd been tired, stressed, worried about me being gone. Easy to misinterpret a conversation in that state.Still, the doubt lingered as I made my way downstairs for dinner.The dining room was

Matteo POV I was seconds away from knocking his teeth out. My fist was already raised, every muscle in my body coiled and ready to strike.Then Rico's phone rang.The sound cut through the tension like a knife. Rico's eyes flickered to his pocket, then back to me."Answer it." My voice was deadly calm. "Or are you afraid to speak to your bribed elders in front of me? Or are there other plans you have that you don't want me to hear about?"His jaw tightened. The phone kept ringing."Answer it, Rico. Let's hear what lies you're telling them today. Let me know what plans you have install for me.""Go to hell." He stepped back, pulling out his phone. Without another word, he turned and stormed towards the warehouse exit, phone pressed to his ear.I stood there, my fist still clenched, adrenaline still pumping through my system. Part of me wanted to follow him, to hear exactly what he was saying to whoever was on that call.But the smarter part of me knew to let him go. I'd rattled him. M